Still There For Me
by Dreams of Leilani
Summary: Looking back, Frank wondered if Joe instinctively knew that they were about to be thrown into a mystery that would rip their family apart. The boys are starting new chapters in their lives when an old enemy forces them to make life-changing decisions.
1. Prologue

**Author's Note****:** _**This is my second fanfiction. As a birthday present to myself, I've decided to post the first chapter to get a general reaction of this story. Hate it? Love it? Please leave a nice, little review either way ;). Kudos, and enjoy!**_

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_Biff Hooper grinned as he presided over Joe and Vanessa wedding. Clearing his throat, he began his speech. "Dearly beloved, __Joe and Vanessa stand in front of you today, so truly excited about the years of love ahead of them.__ Soon, __their marriage will become the intertwining of two life stories. As individuals, they have each had a unique and defining past, and now they willingly choose to set aside the solitary exploration of their individual lives to discover who they are in the presence of one another. We celebrate with them their arrival at this point in their lives. Joe and Vanessa, __the stars and heaven brought you together__, and we are incredibly happy that your love has brought us this joyous occasion. And now without further ado, the exchange of wedding vows." __He turned his attention to the stunning bride, whose luminous golden tresses were pulled into an elegant twist. The crystals adorned on her wedding gown glowed in the fading afternoon sun, and Vanessa's youth and purity made her one of the most beautiful brides that Biff had ever seen._

As Joe finished his vows, he looked at Biff, waiting for his good friend to say the words that he had wanted to hear since he had first started dating Vanessa eight years ago. She had been there for him in the worst times of his life, an unwavering guardian angel that had helped him battle the kiss of death time after time. Come hell or high water, Joe knew he would always love her like no other woman in his life. Iola Morton maintained a special place in his heart as his first love, but it had been Vanessa's gentle nudging and fun-loving nature that had pulled him from the sinister depths of depression, and Joe would be eternally grateful to her for that. Amidst his musings, he heard Biff ask for the exchange of rings. After slipping the diamond and sapphire ring onto her slim finger, he finally heard those precious words. "By the powers vested in me by the State of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Joe eagerly lifted the veil away from Vanessa's face, and together, they shared their first passionate kiss as newlyweds.

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_Frank wrapped his arms around Callie's waist, kissing her neck gently as they stood on the balcony. The normally vivacious blonde had been distracted all night, so when Callie had requested him to go outside with her, he had left Joe to carry on celebrating while he followed her. But now, all they had done so far was stand in silence, and Frank was getting cold, having left his suit jacket on the chair. "Baby…what's on your mind?" When she finally turned around, he was surprised but confused to see her eyes alight with exhilaration. She stroked his cheek, giving him a light kiss before she finally spoke. "Do you remember two months ago, the night that you rescued me from the clutches of that madman? We were talking about the future, and you told me that you wanted to take the next step in our relationship?" Frank nodded, barely suppressing a shudder as he thought about the mentally unstable Lucifer Brenin. The man had been indicted and thrown into jail by Fenton Hardy, and he had harbored a crazed, mile-long vendetta against his father during his ten year prison sentence. Lucifer's __schizophrenic __mind finally snapped, and he had been out to exact his revenge against Fenton. His initial plan had been to kidnap Frank, but the unsuspecting Callie had proved to be an easier target. After a harrowing four days, they had finally found the place where Lucifer was keeping_ _Callie. The experience had scarred her, and it had taken nearly a month of gentle ministration on Frank's part before she had stopped experiencing terrifying nightmares. _

He sighed and hugged her closer to him. "I remember. And I'm so glad you're still here with me…I don't know what I'd do without you by my side." Callie smiled, and then, out of the blue, she blurted out, "I'm pregnant." She watched Frank's face expression change from shocked to joyful, all in the span of a second. "WHAT?!" he nearly screamed. "I'm going to be a daddy!" Abandoning his usual poise, he grabbed her around the waist and spun her around while happy tears streamed down his face. Laughing, he took her hand and pulled her inside. Walking up to the podium where the band was playing, he whispered into the lead singer's ear. Frank caught the confused look that Joe shot him, but he just continued to grin. As the band finished their song, he took the mike that was handed to him and stared at the faces of their friends and family. "I have an announcement to make." Frank paused for dramatic effect and gently tugged Callie closer. "Baby bro, I know this is your day, and I'm not trying to steal your thunder, but … I'm going to be a dad!" he yelled. For a moment, there was stunned silence, but the room soon erupted with applause and cheers. Before he knew it, he and Callie were accepting hugs and congratulations. Noticing that an ecstatic Vanessa was now hugging her best friend, he couldn't help but break out in a wide grin as Joe appeared in front of him. No words needed to be exchanged before he found himself wrapped up in his brother's fierce hug. As Joe's tears slowly dripped down his shirt collar, he whispered softly in his ear, "This is the start of something new, bro. And I'm so glad that you're here to share it with me…"

_Joe pulled away and looked him in the eyes. "Big bro, you're not stealing my thunder with this announcement. And you're right. Life in the Hardy household is sure going to change after this!" Hugging again, the two brothers relished this serene moment of bliss._

Looking back, Frank wondered if Joe instinctively knew that they were about to be thrown into a mystery that would rip their family apart.

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"Babe, are you almost ready? Mom and Dad told us to be there by 6:30 P.M." Joe waited for Vanessa's reply, but he didn't hear one. "Van?!" Finally, he heard the sound of high heels making their way down the staircase. "I'm coming, Joe…" He suddenly found himself incapable of speech. Vanessa stood in front of him, clad in a gorgeous blue dress that hugged her curves in the right places and complimented the golden tan she had gotten while on their honeymoon in Fiji. Her long ash blonde hair was straight and gleaming, swinging lightly with every step.

"Let's go," she announced, a gentle smile playing at her lips while she took the hand that Joe offered to her. The couple made their way to Joe's black Mustang, and before Vanessa even realized it, they were outside the Hardy home at the corner of Elm Street. On their way here, Frank had called to inform them that they were running a little bit late. Taking her hand, Joe walked up the familiar driveway and rang the bell. When nobody answered, he exchanged confused looks with Vanessa. Shrugging it off, he took his key out and unlocked the door. It was then that Joe froze. _I don't smell any cooking. I thought Mom said she was going to make her succulent pot roast and mashed potatoes. Something's not right._ His mind screamed a warning, but he pushed the nagging feeling aside and walked into the house. Even so, he held Vanessa's hand so that he was still protecting her. With his free hand, he managed to slip his gun out of its side holster and held it in front of him. "JOE!" he heard Vanessa hiss. Shaking his head at her, he continued to make his way to the kitchen, his heart hammering in his chest.

Pushing open the door, he barely registered Vanessa's scream of terror. Joe's eyes slowly processed the sight before him: a pool of crimson blood, gleaming from the soft glow of the kitchen ceiling lights. His mouth opened then, and without even realizing it, let out the most terrifying scream that he had ever heard.

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_Want to press that pretty, purple button? Constructive criticism appreciated, too. No flamers!_


	2. I'm Your Angel

**Author's Note**: First of all, thank you so much for all of the wonderful reviews, they definitely made my day. Big hugs for pallysamp88, Lady Emily, Red Hardy, angry penguin, and franknjoe! Hopefully, I don't disappoint with this new chapter:)! Secondly, a huge apology for the long delay in updates; the last month has been so hectic, with more than 3 huge projects and too many problems to deal with. But I promise I'll keep trying to update more often; thank you all for the patience. Enjoy this next chapter!

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Captain Con Riley stood in silence, glancing around the familiar kitchen that was now a crime scene. Outwardly, he appeared calm and in control; after all, he was now the precinct leader. Inwardly, however, his emotions were a turbulent mess. He and Fenton had grown closer ever since Ezra Collig had been promoted to Bureau Chief two years ago. Now, his friend was hurt and bleeding. Even worse, Con had no idea if Fenton was already dead.

Sighing, he turned his attention to CSI team leader Will Soto, who was tucking a penlight back inside his suit jacket and packing up his evidence bag. He and his colleague walked up to Con, their faces grim and serious. "Captain Riley," Will stated.

Con fixed the CSIs with a steady gaze. "How soon before you can determine whether or not those fingerprints in the blood belong to Fenton and Laura Hardy?" The younger man glanced away for a second. "Their blood samples are on file with the lab, so give me half and hour."

Nodding, they started to walk away. Bur just before they reached the dour, Will turned around. "Con? I'm sorry…I know how hard this is for you. But we'll find them."

Nodding tightly, Con dismissed the CSI with a wave and slowly started to make his way into the living room, where Frank and Joe Hardy were waiting anxiously for news.

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Frank watched with a mixture of annoyance and concern as Joe paced the living room for the umpteenth time. He almost regretted sending Callie and a shaken Vanessa back home. Turning around, his younger brother once again repeated his ritual. "JOE!" Frank finally ground out through clenched teeth.

Joe stopped pacing, but when he saw his brother's emotive blue eyes, Frank sighed, the fight going out of him. "Sit down, little bro. You're giving me a headache, and wearing a hole into the carpet isn't going to help matters." Standing up, he wrapped the trembling Joe in a tight hug. "There's no use worrying until we get confirmation that all that blood…maybe…maybe there's another explanation for this…" Frank trailed off, finding it hard to believe his own words.

When Con entered the living room, Joe immediately pounced on their longtime friend. "What's the verdict, huh? Is it Mom and dad? Is it?!" At Con's continued silence, Joe's temper got the better of him as he grabbed Con by his shirt lapel. "Tell me!" the younger Hardy cried, hands shaking uncontrollably as he tried to hold back the tears. He was vaguely aware of Frank's strong grip prying his hands off of Con, but Joe didn't really care. All he cared about was getting his parents back.

With a shaky and mumbled "sorry" in Con's direction, Joe began pacing again. Con cleared his throat, dismissing the fact that the younger Hardy had just committed assault on a police officer. After all, that was how Joe had always coped with stressful situations. "The CSI guys are running the fingerprint samples, and they'll inform us of the results soon." He paused, watching the distraught brothers with sadness. "I asked Collig to drop by, and he said he's going to bring some food over."

Con watched the brothers, biting his lip as he contemplated telling them about the clue that could possibly lead to the kidnapper's identity. "Frank, Joe. There's something that you should know. CSI found a piece of curly black hair that shouldn't belong to either Fenton or Laura. It's very possible that …" Before he could continue, Con's ringing cell phone interrupted him. "This is Riley…WHAT?! Are you sure? Okay. Thanks, Soto. Yeah, I'll pick up the report from you tomorrow morning."

Hanging up the phone, he faced Frank and Joe, his heart heavy. "CSI has confirmed through the _Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System_ that those fingerprints in the pool of blood belong to your parents." Con saw Frank's face pale immediately; at the same time, Joe's hands curled into tight fists, his knuckles gleaming white against the taut skin.

"There's more. Hear me out. Will ran that piece of hair through CODIS, and it got a hit. It belongs to Al Housasa, and the database shows that he's associated with the Assassins." At that word, Joe's head snapped up, his sapphire eyes blazing with anger. "So this has to do with the Assassins again? What have we done to them?! Killing Iola was one thing. But kidnapping and possibly killing our PARENTS is another thing! This time, they've gone too far!!" Frank nodded, his steely gaze radiating with determination. "Joe's right; no more. There's _no way_ in hell we're letting them get away with this. Joe and I are going to take our dying breaths before we give up. Mom and dad are out there somewhere, and we're going to save them!"

Con studied their determined faces, rubbing his temples. He could feel an inevitable headache setting in. "Listen to me! I'm not done! This isn't just another random Assassin attack. The information we pulled up on CODIS also told us that our suspect is directly related to Al-Rousasa…" He paused, waiting for them to connect the dots. When Con's statement registered, the brothers reacted exactly as he had thought. Frank growled "Iola's killer!" under his breath, while Joe turned and punched the nearest wall.

"I know you guys tend to disobey my direct order, but for the record, civilians _aren't_ allowed to interfere in police investigations." Joe's head shot up as those familiar words followed Bureau Chief Ezra Collig's entrance into the room. He ignored Frank's eye roll and fixed the brothers with a stern gaze. "Don't get yourselves shot or killed; otherwise, your dad's going to have my head." Joe gave a choked laugh and walked over to their longtime friend. "You know Frank and I have _never_ listened to you, right?"

Chuckling, the wise Chief gently squeezed Joe's shoulder. "We'll find your parents. I _promise_." He looked up when Frank suddenly spoke. The younger man's words were barely a whisper, but they rang loud and clear in the quiet room. "And we're going to make this son of a bitch sorry that he messed with us." Brushing aside the sudden wave of dread, he glanced at Con, whose eyes were also filled with trepidation. Collig muttered to the younger man, "Get ready for a _long_ night…"

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Joe stared around his dark room, unable to close his tired eyes. He hugged Vanessa closer to him, breathing in the familiar smell of her lavender hair and just thanking God that she was by his side. Vanessa had promptly come over with Callie as soon as Joe had called her with an update, knowing that he needed her support. As he watched his beautiful wife sleep, Joe couldn't help but wonder if his parents had gone through this process of sleeplessness when either he or Frank were in danger.

Restless and upset, he sighed and gently covered Vanessa with the comforter. Getting up, he padded across the room and opened the bathroom door, instinctively knowing that Frank was going to be awake. Turning the knob, he walked into Frank's spotless room. Blinking owlishly in the moonlit room, he saw his brother leaning against the headboard. One arm was occupied with a laptop, while the other one was absentmindedly stroking Callie's hair. Looking up, Frank's face broke into a sad smile as he set aside his computer.

As Frank got up and walked towards him, Joe noticed that his brother's face was streaked with tears, his jaw clenched. Frank ushered him out of the room, pushing his brother quietly down the stairs. Bypassing the living room, since Con and Collig were shacked up there for the night, they walked into the guest room. Turning on the light, the younger Hardy closed the door as Frank made a beeline for the bed. Feeling a growing urge to cry, Joe immediately began pacing, desperately trying to get rid of his tumultuous feelings.

"Joe." Frank's quiet command had a calming effect on Joe, who stopped pacing and slumped down onto the bed next to his brother. Frank sighed and pulled his brother close to him, rubbing his back in circular patterns and trying to ease the tension in Joe's shoulders. "Talk to me, little bro." He heard Joe's shaky exhale, and an awkward silence filled the air for a split second.

Joe's soft voice suddenly broke through the quiet. "Did Mom and Dad…did you guys…DAMNIT!" Joe pounded the mattress in frustration. "Why is this _so_ damnhard to say?! What I'm trying to ask is, did you guys go through this all of those times that I was missing, or worse, kidnapped? I mean, did you feel this overwhelming guilt that you weren't there to stop this? And I'm so scared…terrified that my last words to mom might be 'see you later.' I never even told her that I love her."

Frank tousled Joe's blonde hair. "Mom doesn't need you to tell her that you love her; she already knows. And yes, mom and dad, especially me … we've always been a wreck when you're in danger, but getting you home alive and in one piece has always kept us going. We're a family, bro. Given our profession, there's always a chance of psychos wanting to exact revenge or the like, but we stick together." Seeing that Joe's eyes were drooping tiredly, Frank smiled sadly and covered their bodies with the luxury goose down comforter, which his mother had purchased on a whim. Before long, both brothers were sound asleep, cuddling up to each other in an unconscious desperation for each other's strength.

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Review, please^_^? By the way, I hope everybody has a happy and safe Halloween!


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